1st Mariner Bank - Wade-BarnesSee 1st Mariner Bank in Baltimore, Maryland for information about free checking, CD Rates, Loan Rates, and Home Equity Loans. http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/
http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specificationBlogEngine.NET 2.0.0.36en-GBhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/opml.axdhttp://www.dotnetblogengine.net/syndication.axdMy name 1st Mariner Bank0.0000000.000000What You Need to Know About the New Chip Cards <p><img style="float: right; margin: 3px;" src="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/image.axd?picture=2015%2f10%2femvcard.jpg" alt="" width="323" height="209" /></p>
<p>On October 1, there was a major shift in the way debit and credit card fraud is handled. If you didn&rsquo;t notice the change, you&rsquo;re not alone. Read on to discover how this shift could affect you.</p>
<p>Have you recently received a new debit or credit card in the mail? If so, it is likely enabled with new EMV chip technology. EMV, which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa, has become the standard across the globe for debit and credit card transactions. The United States is one of the last countries to adopt the EMV technology. The EMV cards, or chip cards, include a chip which reduces the risk of fraud. With the chip, each transaction has a unique code assigned to it, unlike the magnetic stripe that contains unchanged data that can easily be replicated. If someone were to steal the information from a magnetic stripe, the data could be replicated over and over again. If a fraudster stole chip card information, duplicating the transaction would never work because the unique code can only be used once. Essentially, the adoption of chips cards is an effort to reduce the significant amount of fraud seen in the United States.</p>
<p>If you haven&rsquo;t yet received a chip card, don&rsquo;t worry. If your card provider is opting to switch over to the EMV compatible system, you will automatically receive a new debit or credit card in the mail. It is the card provider&rsquo;s responsibility to make the choice if their customers are going to have EMV compatible cards, which many already have or plan to do.</p>
<p>As of October 1, 2015, the way that fraud is handled with these new chip/EMV-compliant cards shifted significantly. Before October 1, if a fraudulent transaction using a chip card occurs on a magnetic stripe terminal (an establishment that had not yet switched over to EMV technology), the card issuer would be liable for the costs. Now, that liability has shifted to the merchant. Merchants can reduce their liability for fraud by installing the new EMV compatible payment terminals. Luckily, this shift does not directly impact consumers.</p>
<p>You can still use the EMV card on a traditional magnetic stripe reader. Because the EMV technology is so new and merchants are still adjusting, the chip cards that are being issued are equipped with both EMV and magnetic stripe capabilities.</p>
<p>Overall, consumers can expect little impact from these new cards and terminals. Consumers should be excited that steps are being made to protect them from fraud with no action or cost required at their expense. The cards are safe and a step forward in fraud protection in the United States.</p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2015/10/19/New-Chip-Cards.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2015/10/19/New-Chip-Cards.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=46448fa1-0677-4ca0-a2a8-63a9c378aa09Mon, 19 Oct 2015 13:35:00 -0500SecurityWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=46448fa1-0677-4ca0-a2a8-63a9c378aa090http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=46448fa1-0677-4ca0-a2a8-63a9c378aa09http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2015/10/19/New-Chip-Cards.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=46448fa1-0677-4ca0-a2a8-63a9c378aa09Bitcoin: What's with All the Hype?<p><img style="float: right; margin: 10px;" src="https://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/blog/2014/04%20Apr/Gold_Bitcoin.png" alt="Bitcoin" width="250" height="250" /></p>
<p>For those who don&rsquo;t know, Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer payment system and a digital currency. Bitcoin with the capitalized &ldquo;B&rdquo; is the payment system and bitcoin with the lowercase &ldquo;b&rdquo; refers to the currency. In theory, Bitcoin digitizes the payment system and offers protections from identify theft, debit/credit card fraud, and other forms of modern day financial intrusions. Despite this, many government agencies aren&rsquo;t fond of the system as the anonymity creates an environment for illicit activities.</p>
<p>I could go on and on about Bitcoin itself but I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s what the hype should be all about. In my opinion, Bitcoin isn&rsquo;t the final answer but it prompts us to think of a world where cash, checks and cards are out, and a fully digital transfer of money happens &ndash; and happens immediately.</p>
<p>From a merchant&rsquo;s perspective, money has immediately transferred from the buyer&rsquo;s account into the seller&rsquo;s account. No temporary credits and imaginary holds in the background but a true exchange of money from one party to the other. Without the temporary provision of debits and credits there isn&rsquo;t a chance that the money wasn&rsquo;t actually in the buyer&rsquo;s account, which means no overdraft charges and no losses to merchants or to banks when customers write bad checks or overspend with their card.</p>
<p>I certainly don&rsquo;t want to knock debit cards as they have revolutionized the way we pay for goods and services, and while they&rsquo;re a great method of payment, it still is not immediate. <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Popmoney&reg;" onclick=" _gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Blog', 'Popmoney', 'Bitcoin']);" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/popmoney/" target="_blank">Popmoney&reg;</a> and other person-to-person payment forms have revolutionized the way we can exchange money between individuals, but the payment is still not immediate.</p>
<p>The theory of Bitcoin revolutionizes the movement of money in a cashless environment where the money is digitally and securely transferred from the sender&rsquo;s account into the receiver&rsquo;s account immediately without holds, credits, or overnight processing.</p>
<p>While Bitcoin has its flaws and some of these have recently questioned the stability of the infrastructure, Bitcoin has challenged us to think about the exchange of money and I&rsquo;m positive it has prompted the beginning of the end for cash, checks, and cards.</p>
<h5>If you found this article interesting, be sure to check out these related articles:</h5>
<p><a title="The Future of Technology and Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/03/25/The-Future-of-Technology-and-Banking.aspx" target="_blank">The Future of Technology and Banking</a></p>
<p><a title="How to Get Your Friends to Pay You Back" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/02/27/How-to-Get-Your-Friends-to-Pay-You-Back.aspx" target="_blank">How to Get Your Friends to Pay You Back</a></p>
<p><a title="The Ever-Evolving Landscape of Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/12/31/The-Ever-Evolving-Landscape-of-Banking.aspx" target="_blank">The Ever-Evolving Landscape of Banking</a></p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2014/04/29/Bitcoin-Whats-with-All-the-Hype.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2014/04/29/Bitcoin-Whats-with-All-the-Hype.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=afba5f3f-c844-4fe1-9916-5cb42418fa43Tue, 29 Apr 2014 07:34:00 -0500Online/Mobile BankingWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=afba5f3f-c844-4fe1-9916-5cb42418fa430http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=afba5f3f-c844-4fe1-9916-5cb42418fa43http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2014/04/29/Bitcoin-Whats-with-All-the-Hype.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=afba5f3f-c844-4fe1-9916-5cb42418fa43Things To Do Before You Leave the Country<p><img style="float: right; margin: 5px;" src=" http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/blog/2013/May/Travel%20Abroad.jpg" alt="Travel Abroad" /></p>
<p>Whether you travel for business or for pleasure, whether it&rsquo;s your first time or you&rsquo;re a professional, it&rsquo;s helpful to have a checklist of things to do before you leave the country. Some things are easy to overlook and can make or break your experience while abroad.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Planning</h2>
<p>Like most things in life, planning is the most important step to making your trip a success:</p>
<p><strong>Contact Banks/Credit Card Providers:</strong> Many banks will detect foreign transactions as fraudulent and will block transactions initiated abroad unless they were notified in advance. It&rsquo;s good to travel with multiple methods of payment like bank cards, credit cards, and cash.</p>
<p><strong>Email Travel Documents: </strong>Email documents including your travel itinerary, flight information, and hotel information including all important phone numbers both to you and a friend or family member at home. This way, if you lose the documents or someone needs to contact you, all pertinent information is easily accessible.</p>
<p><strong>Copy the Contents of Your Wallet and Your Passport:</strong> Copy the front and back of everything in your wallet. Keep one copy at home and one in the hotel safe or other secure location while traveling. Having copies allows for quick cancelation and/or replacement if needed. While you can&rsquo;t travel with a copy of your passport, having a copy will help get it replaced quicker if needed.</p>
<p><strong>Cell Phone / Skype:</strong> If you plan to use your cell phone, be sure to talk with your provider about international plans to save expensive roaming charges while abroad. Consider opening and using a Skype account to communicate while abroad as this is a free internet service that allows you to video conference with anyone in the world.</p>
<p><strong>Consider Power:</strong> Be sure to know both the plug and voltage differences where you plan to travel. Simply having a plug converter might not be enough if the voltage is different and your device doesn&rsquo;t support multiple voltages. I learned this first hand and it isn&rsquo;t pretty.</p>
<p><strong>Stop Mail/Newspaper:</strong> Be sure to stop your mail/newspaper delivery.</p>
<p><strong>Notify the State Department:</strong> <a title="Travel.State.Gov" href="https://step.state.gov/step/" target="_blank">Register with the State Department</a> so they&rsquo;ll know your whereabouts. While we don&rsquo;t want to consider an emergency abroad, it&rsquo;s better to be prepared and ensure they know where you are and for you to know where an embassy is.</p>
<p><strong>Pick Up Travel Books:</strong> Even if you don&rsquo;t have time to read them before you leave, read them on the plane to get a good idea of things to do, things to avoid, and ways to make the most of your trip.</p>
<h2>Packing</h2>
<p>While packing is fairly straightforward and doesn&rsquo;t vary much from traveling domestically, there are some things you should consider when traveling abroad:</p>
<p><strong>Power Convertor:</strong> Now that you know the power and plug configuration, be sure to pack the right device to power your electronics.</p>
<p><strong>Carryon Luggage:</strong> Airlines are not perfect and luggage goes missing sometimes. If it does, you&rsquo;ll want an extra set of clothes and important medications in your carryon to hold you over.</p>
<p><strong>Medicine:</strong> Be sure to not only pack your medication but also bring an extra prescription and be sure you scope out local pharmacies at your travel destination just in case.</p>
<p><strong>Antacid:</strong> Even if you don&rsquo;t typically have digestion issues, when eating local cuisine, foods might not always sit well. You&rsquo;d rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it!</p>
<h2>Traveling</h2>
<p>You've planned, you&rsquo;ve packed and it&rsquo;s time to enjoy your trip. When traveling abroad here are some things to keep in mind:</p>
<p><strong>Safety/Security:</strong> No matter where you&rsquo;re traveling, you can&rsquo;t be cautious enough, but when abroad, pay particular attention to your surroundings and travel in groups if possible. Keep your possessions held tightly and out of sight. Pick-pocketers thrive on unsuspecting, unaware tourists.</p>
<p><strong>Access to Money:</strong> Most places accept credit cards and this is always a safe option. When exchanging currency, be sure to know the current exchange rate as not to get ripped off at a currency exchange center. Another solution is to use your ATM card. While you may pay ATM fees, you&rsquo;ll likely save as the exchange rate will be calculated at the nightly inter-bank rate, which can be more advantageous than at currency exchange centers.</p>
<p><strong>Internet Banking:</strong> It never fails; you forgot to pay a bill or need to transfer money. Don&rsquo;t sweat; we&rsquo;ve got you covered with our robust <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Online Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/" target="_blank">online banking suite</a>.</p>
<p>Now it's time to enjoy your trip. Don&rsquo;t hold back, enjoy the fine wine, great cuisine, memorable sights, and experiences that will last a lifetime.</p>
<h5>If you found this article useful, be sure to check out these related articles:</h5>
<p><a title="Spring Break Travel Tips" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/03/13/Spring-Break-Travel-Tips.aspx" target="_blank">Spring Break Travel Tips</a></p>
<p><a title="/blog/post/2013/03/13/Spring-Break-Travel-Tips.aspx" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/05/21/Traveling-Tips-keep-the-costs-low-and-the-fun-level-high.aspx" target="_blank">Traveling Tips: Keep the Costs Low and the Fun Level High</a></p>
<p><a title="Managing Your Money in Retirement" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/11/06/Managing-Your-Money-in-Retirement.aspx" target="_blank">Managing Your Money in Retirement</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/05/01/Things-To-Do-Before-You-Leave-the-Country.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/05/01/Things-To-Do-Before-You-Leave-the-Country.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=567d11ee-61b4-453a-99cf-0d355d89f019Wed, 01 May 2013 14:29:00 -0500Personal Finance & BankingSecurityWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=567d11ee-61b4-453a-99cf-0d355d89f0190http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=567d11ee-61b4-453a-99cf-0d355d89f019http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/05/01/Things-To-Do-Before-You-Leave-the-Country.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=567d11ee-61b4-453a-99cf-0d355d89f019Why Buy Local?<p><img style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src=" http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/blog/2012/09/Buy%20Local300.jpg " alt="Buy Local, Buy Maryland" />Consider this: A tomato seed planted hundreds of miles away takes the journey through life and makes its way to the grocery store chain in your neighborhood. Along this journey, the tomato was likely picked when it was still green so that it wouldn&rsquo;t be rotten from the time it takes to get from the farm to the store. Not only this, but typically tomatoes don&rsquo;t grow well when picked pre-maturely nor do they ripen organically while inside a trailer being pulled across the country. To accommodate this, hormones and preservatives are oftentimes applied so the final delivery yields a perfectly ripened tomato.</p>
<p>Because this tomato was packaged in a huge crate, treated with stimulants, hauled across hundreds of miles, and delivered to your local grocery store chain, the final product is both less than organic and has significant overhead costs considering its journey. When you buy this tomato from the local grocery store chain, the money spent now goes back to the town where the store is headquartered, to the trucking firm who transported the shipment, and to the farmer who grew the produce - none of whom live in your community nor contribute to your community&rsquo;s well-being.</p>
<p>While this example may seem specific, it represents the system of commerce we&rsquo;ve all come to accept. Consider the opportunity to buy local goods from local businesses and imagine the impact this could have on our economy, on our health, and on our communities.</p>
<p>When you buy local, money stays in the local community. Local producers have the opportunity to provide products and services to local retailers. Local retailers will hire local employees to sell these products and services to local shoppers. In short, jobs are created in our communities, which creates a sustainable revenue stream so that more people have the capacity to buy more goods and services.</p>
<p>When local people are gainfully employed and when we buy local, cities and townships benefit with increased tax revenue. While we all may cringe at the thought of taxes, it is great to know that the taxes paid benefit our immediate community. This means better schools, smoother roads, and better public health and safety.</p>
<p>While economics may be inspiring, it is by far not the only consideration. When you buy local, you get a product that is much more closely related to the producer. This means better quality, fewer preservatives, lower transportation costs, less pollution during transportation and better products and services to keep you coming back.</p>
<p>This concept even applies to banking. By being a local community bank, you have access to local experts, local advice, and local decision making, which is the foundation of our core values. When you bank local, you keep jobs in our communities, you get great products and services, and you don&rsquo;t only get a bank, you get a partner in the industry who cares about you, your business and your community.</p>
<p>As we are committed to the buy local initiative, we are the title sponsor of the <a title="Buy Local, Buy Maryland" href="http://www.abc2news.com/generic/buylocalbuymaryland/Buy-Local-Buy-Maryland" target="_blank">Buy Local, Buy Maryland</a> campaign. We hope you check out this initiative and make the choice to support your local businesses and buy local.</p>
<h5>If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out these other related articles:</h5>
<p><a title="Buy Local, Bank Local" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/09/19/Buy-Local-Bank-Local.aspx" target="_blank">Buy Local, Bank Local</a></p>
<p><a title="7 Ways to Save Money Recycling" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/04/22/7-Ways-to-Save-Money-Recycling.aspx" target="_blank">7 Ways to Save Money Recycling</a></p>
<p><a title="The Cheap Guide to Father's Day in Baltimore" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/06/14/The-Cheap-Guide-to-Fathers-Day-in-Baltimore.aspx" target="_blank">The Cheap Guide to Father's Day in Baltimore</a></p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/04/25/Why-Buy-Local.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/04/25/Why-Buy-Local.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=740958a9-21da-408f-b0f6-12976f78e933Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:43:00 -0500Community SpotlightWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=740958a9-21da-408f-b0f6-12976f78e9330http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=740958a9-21da-408f-b0f6-12976f78e933http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/04/25/Why-Buy-Local.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=740958a9-21da-408f-b0f6-12976f78e933The Ultimate Question: Buy or Lease?<p><img style="margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 5px; float: left;" src=" http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/blog/2013/Feb/car%20key.jpg " alt="New Car" /></p>
<p>So you&rsquo;ve decided on a new car! You&rsquo;ve picked the make, model, color and options but the tough question is still looming. Should I buy or lease? Like many financial decisions, the answer is highly dependent on individual situations, but to help narrow the scope of your decision, it is best to consider the benefits of leasing to see if this option is best for your situation.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Benefits of Leasing</h2>
<p>Perhaps the greatest benefit of leasing is the fact that you can get into a new car with low money down and low monthly payments. This means that you can afford a more expensive car with more options at a lower acquisition and monthly cost than if you were to buy the car. On top of this, when you lease a car, you have pre-negotiated the value at the end of the term, which means you can walk away without having to negotiate the value and sell the car.</p>
<p>Most leases are for three years and most cars come with warranties that match this term. This means you&rsquo;ll never be responsible for a major repair that should be covered under warranty. This is an important benefit of leasing a car because outside of the lease expense, general maintenance, and gas, you shouldn&rsquo;t have any unforeseen expenses related to leasing a car.</p>
<p>For business owners, another benefit of leasing a car is the potential to benefit from greater tax deduction when leasing a car for business purposes. While you should consult your tax advisor on this issue, typically you can deduct a portion of depreciation on cars owned and used for business purposes whereas lease expenses in whole are typically tax deductible which tend to be greater on a month-to-month basis.</p>
<h2>Downsides of Leasing</h2>
<p>The biggest downside to leasing is that you&rsquo;re never gaining equity on the car; you&rsquo;re essentially renting the car under a long-term agreement. Under this proposition, as long as you have a car, you&rsquo;ll have car payments, and if for some reason you need to get out of a lease, there are typically expensive penalties for breaking the lease.</p>
<p>Leases also have an annual mileage restriction as well. Typically leases offer either 12,000 or 15,000 miles per year and if you go over the allotted mileage, it can get expensive. Since you don&rsquo;t actually own the car, you can&rsquo;t make any modifications to the car, and at the term of the lease you&rsquo;ll be charged for every nick and ding that happened under your watch. Insurance can also be more expensive as most lease companies require higher levels of coverage to protect their interest.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>So now you must decide to lease or buy. If you like the idea of owning a car without a car payment one day, buying is the best option. If you like the idea of having a new car with fancy options every few years and you can live within the terms of the lease, then leasing may be the best option.</p>
<p>If the benefits of leasing a car have outweighed the decision making process, be sure to fully understand the terms of the lease to avoid expensive costs at the end of the term. If you&rsquo;ve opted to buy versus lease, consider your financing options. If rates are similar, you may want to consider using a <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Home Equity Loans and Lines" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/loans/home-equity-loans-and-lines/" target="_blank">Home Equity Loan or Line of Credit</a> to finance the purchase to benefit from potential tax advantages (but be sure to consult your tax advisor first). Whichever way you go, be sure to enjoy your new car. If you&rsquo;d like some ideas on how to save money at the pump with your new car, check out our blog: <a title="1st Mariner Bank Blog | 10 Ways to Ease Your Pain at the Pump" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/03/30/Ten-Ways-to-Ease-Your-Pain-at-the-Pump.aspx" target="_blank">Ten Ways to Ease Your Pain at the Pump</a>.</p>
<h5>If you found this article helpful, be sure to check out these related articles:</h5>
<p><a title="Debt to Income Ratio: What It Is and How It Helps (or Hurts) Your Chances of Getting Loan" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/08/08/DTI-What-it-is-and-how-it-helps-(or-hurts)-your-chances-of-getting-a-loan.aspx" target="_blank">Debt to Income Ratio: What It Is and How It Helps (or Hurts) Your Chances of Getting&nbsp;Loan</a></p>
<p><a title="How to Decide: Home Equity Loan or Line of Credit?" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2011/09/14/how-to-decide-home-equity-loan-or-line-of-credit.aspx" target="_blank">How to Decide: Home Equity Loan or Line of Credit?</a></p>
<p><a title="The Imaginary Mortgage: Fake It Til You Make It" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/05/02/The-Imaginary-Mortgage-Fake-It-Til-You-Make-It.aspx" target="_blank">The Imaginary Mortgage: Fake It Til You Make It</a></p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/02/25/Buy-or-Lease.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/02/25/Buy-or-Lease.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=591be2a1-fd2f-4e66-a921-334056e36227Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:42:00 -0500LoansWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=591be2a1-fd2f-4e66-a921-334056e362270http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=591be2a1-fd2f-4e66-a921-334056e36227http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2013/02/25/Buy-or-Lease.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=591be2a1-fd2f-4e66-a921-334056e36227The Ever-Evolving Landscape of Banking<p><a title="1st Mariner Bank | Bill Pay" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/free-bill-pay/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_content=photo&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" src=" http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/blog/2012/08/online-banking2-150x138.jpg" alt="Online Bill Payments" /></a></p>
<p>When you think of managing your finances, what&rsquo;s the first thing that comes to mind? Do you envision walking into a <a title="1st Mariner Bank Branch Locator" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/branch-locations/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">bank branch</a> to conduct transactions? Or do you immediately think of signing into <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Online Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">online</a> or <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Mobile Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/mobile-banking/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">mobile banking</a>? For many people and for most transactions, it&rsquo;s the latter. Over the past few years, the landscape of financial management, and banking in particular, has changed drastically in that you as the customer are put in control.</p>
<p>According to Serge van Dam, VP of Mobile Solutions at Fiserv<sup>1</sup>, financial transactions can be broken into three categories: snacking, lunching, and fine dining. Snacking consists of transactions such as transferring funds or checking balances. Lunching includes <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Bill Pay" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/free-bill-pay/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">bill payments</a> and <a title="1st Mariner Bank | eStatements" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/estatements/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">viewing online statements</a>. Fine dining involves conversations with <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Financial Consultants" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/investment-services/financial-consultants/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">financial advisors</a>, opening trust accounts, or other highly interactive transactions.</p>
<p>We appreciate the various levels of need when it comes to banking, and we work hard to ensure our delivery meets the needs of our customers. While we continue to provide the personal service offered by <a title="1st Mariner Bank Branch Locator" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/branch-locations/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">our branches</a>, we also look to provide <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Online Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/" target="_blank">electronic services</a> to meet your needs. As our customers know, we went through a conversion to upgrade our services and delivery in October of this past year. While change is never easy and growing pains may be difficult, we did this to set the stage for a more robust delivery moving forward, and we thank everyone for their patience as we&rsquo;ve been working through this process.</p>
<p><a title="Mobile Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/mobile-banking/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_content=photo&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank"><img style="float: left; margin: 5px;" src=" http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/blog/2012/04/MobileBanking_Phones.jpg" alt="Mobile Banking" /></a></p>
<p>Throughout 2012, we enhanced our electronic delivery in many notable ways. In February we launched a branded <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Mobile App" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/mobile-banking/iphone-android-application/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">mobile banking application for both Android and iOS powered devices</a>. Through this application you can check balances, transfer funds, view history, find branches and ATMs, and a recent upgrade offers mobile bill payments as well.</p>
<p>As part of our conversion, we upgraded our <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Online Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">online banking</a> platform which sets the stage for a more robust, user friendly interaction. Along with this, we upgraded our <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Bill Pay" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/free-bill-pay/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">Bill Payment</a> system, which now delivers up to 85% of payments electronically. With this upgrade, payments are guaranteed to be delivered by the date you specify, and better yet, the money stays in your account until the merchant receives or deposits the money.&nbsp;<a title="1st Mariner Bank | Popmoney&reg;" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/popmoney/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p>Popmoney&reg; is a new online offering that delivers person-to-person payments. Using Popmoney&reg; you can initiate a payment to anyone through a text message or an email. This addition is great for sending money to kids in school, repaying a friend for lunch, or sending a gift in place of a check.</p>
<p><a title="Mariner360" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/consumer-banking-resources/mariner-360/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_content=photo&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" src=" http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/blog/2012/12/Mariner360.jpg" alt="Mariner360" /></a></p>
<p>Finally, we re-launched <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Mariner360" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/consumer-banking-resources/mariner-360/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">Mariner360</a>, our Personal Financial Manager. The new Mariner360 provides a great platform for aggregating accounts across financial institutions to track spending, manage budgets, and set financial goals.</p>
<p>While we&rsquo;ve made significant enhancements in 2012, we look forward to 2013 as we continue to refine our current delivery and introduce new technology. We will continue to keep you abreast of new technology and improvements to our services through <a title="1st Mariner Bank eNewsletter" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/about-us/news/enewsletter/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">our monthly eNewsletter</a>. If you haven&rsquo;t already, <a title="1st Mariner Bank eNewsletter Signup" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/about-us/news/enewsletter/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">be sure to sign up</a>. We also welcome your feedback and suggestions for future enhancements by <a title="Contact 1st Mariner Bank Customer Service" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/contact-us/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">emailing our customer service center</a>.</p>
<p>As your community bank, we have the unique opportunity to offer the <a title="1st Mariner Bank | Online Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/online/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">electronic delivery</a> that has become fundamental in managing finances, but we also haven&rsquo;t forgotten what it means to welcome you into any of <a title="1st Mariner Bank Branch Locator" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/branch-locations/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">our branches</a> and provide you with friendly, local service. We are grateful for all of our customers and appreciate your loyalty over the years. We look forward to the new year and to continue embracing the ever evolving technology that enhances your banking experience.</p>
<p><a title="1st Mariner Bank | eNewsletter Signup" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/about-us/news/enewsletter/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_content=button&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" onmouseover="this.src=' http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/buttons/Sign%20up%20for%20newsletter2.jpg'" onmouseout="this.src=' http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/buttons/Sign%20up%20for%20newsletter1.jpg'" src=" http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/buttons/Sign%20up%20for%20newsletter1.jpg" alt="Sign Up for Our eNewsletter" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup>1 </sup>Shaw, S., &amp; van Dam, S. (2012). Mobile Financial Services: Snacking, Lunching, Fine Dining. Fiserv Client Conference Spring 2012.</span></p>
<h5>If you found this article useful, be sure to check out these related articles:</h5>
<p><a title="Top Three Myths About Online Banking Revealed" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/08/22/Top-Three-Myths-About-Online-Banking-Revealed/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">Top Three Myths About Online Banking Revealed</a></p>
<p><a title="Do Your Part to Help Save a Tree" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/04/27/Do-Your-Part-to-Help-Save-a-Tree/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">Do Your Part to Help Save a Tree</a></p>
<p><a title="5 Mobile Banking Security Tips" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/02/16/5-mobile-banking-security-tips/?utm_source=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Ever%2BEvolving%2BBanking" target="_blank">5 Mobile Banking Security Tips</a></p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/12/31/The-Ever-Evolving-Landscape-of-Banking.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/12/31/The-Ever-Evolving-Landscape-of-Banking.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=3e88ef92-e064-4de8-82c6-50f0e09ff602Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:24:00 -0500Online/Mobile BankingPersonal Finance & BankingWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=3e88ef92-e064-4de8-82c6-50f0e09ff6020http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=3e88ef92-e064-4de8-82c6-50f0e09ff602http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/12/31/The-Ever-Evolving-Landscape-of-Banking.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=3e88ef92-e064-4de8-82c6-50f0e09ff602Money in Your 30s: Manage It, Don't Be Managed by It<p><img style="float: right; margin: 2px;" src="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/image.axd?picture=2012%2f9%2f30.jpg" alt="30" />Like it or not, the days when maybe it was okay to be slightly irresponsible with your money are over. You may have worked a job or two, but now you&rsquo;re moving into the career years ahead. As you nail down a stable job with a stable income, it&rsquo;s time to start managing your money so that money doesn&rsquo;t manage you for the rest of your life. With these simple tips, we&rsquo;ll point you in the right direction.</p>
<h2>Debt</h2>
<p>It's time to deleverage. The best way to increase your cash flow is to decrease money going to unnecessary interest charges. Focus on paying off all debt that isn&rsquo;t tied to a mortgage.&nbsp;Concentrate on the loans with the highest interest rates first, likely those carried by credit cards, then focus on car loans, student loans, and any other non-mortgage related debt. Caution: moving debt between credit cards and other loan types is not deleveraging.</p>
<p>Kick the habit of assuming debt to make purchases. Save money for big purchases so you don&rsquo;t have to finance&nbsp;these items&nbsp;using credit. That being said, if you get 0% financing for a period of time, don&rsquo;t hesitate to use this money for free, but be sure the debt is paid in full before the period expires to avoid huge interest charges.</p>
<h2>Family</h2>
<p>Marriage is the most important event in a person&rsquo;s life in many ways. When you marry your life to someone, you also marry your finances. This is a great opportunity to meet with a Financial Consultant to consider everything in your financial portfolio from investments to insurance and retirement planning.</p>
<p>If you&rsquo;re planning to have children, this is also a great time to <a title="1st Mariner Financial Consultants" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/investment-services/financial-consultants/?utm_source=money%2Bin%2B30s%2Bpost&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=money%2Bin%2Byour%2B30s" target="_blank">meet with a Financial Consultant</a>. You&rsquo;ll want to consider setting up a college savings plan to help cover the cost of education. While nobody likes to think about life insurance, this is a great time to make sure your family is covered in the event that the unthinkable should occur.</p>
<h2>Savings</h2>
<p>Start building an emergency savings account. It is suggested that you should have at least three months of salary in savings. With this emergency savings account, it will be easier to weather the storm if hard times or unexpected expenses occur.</p>
<p>While it might be hard to consider retirement when you&rsquo;re in your 30s, there&rsquo;s no better time than now to start socking away money for life after work. The power of compounding interest really adds up when time is on your side. Consider increasing the percentage of income going towards retirement savings by 1% every year when in your 30s. <a title="Retirement Planner" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/consumer-banking-resources/calculators/retirement-savings-and-planning/planner/?utm_source=money%2Bin%2B30s%2Bpost&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=money%2Bin%2Byour%2B30s" target="_blank">Use a retirement calculator</a> to get an idea of what it takes to save for your retirement years so you can live comfortably and enjoy the fruit of your laboring years.</p>
<p>In short, when you&rsquo;re in your 30s, it&rsquo;s time to make your money work for you so you are starting your adult life with a solid financial footing. By paying off debt, creating a savings plan and addressing insurance and investment options, you&rsquo;ll be well on the way to enjoying your adult life with responsible financial habits.</p>
<h5>If you found this article useful, be sure to check out these related articles:</h5>
<p><a title="Debt to Income Ratio" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/08/08/DTI-What-it-is-and-how-it-helps-(or-hurts)-your-chances-of-getting-a-loan/?utm_source=money%2Bin%2Byour%2B30s%2Bpost&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=money%2Bin%2Byour%2B30s" target="_blank">Debt to Income Ratio: What it is and how it helps (or hurts) your chances of getting a loan</a></p>
<p><a title="How I Graduated Debt-Free from College" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/07/10/How-I-Graduated-Debt-Free-from-College/?utm_source=money%2Bin%2B30s%2Bpost&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=money%2Bin%2Byour%2B30s" target="_blank">How I Graduated Debt-Free From College</a></p>
<p><a title="The Imaginary Mortgage - Fake It Til You Make It" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/05/02/The-Imaginary-Mortgage-Fake-It-Til-You-Make-It/?utm_source=money%2Bin%2B30s%2Bpost&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=money%2Bin%2Byour%2B30s" target="_blank">The Imaginary Mortgage - Fake It Til You Make It</a></p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/10/04/Money-in-your-30s-Manage-It-Dont-Be-Managed-by-It.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/10/04/Money-in-your-30s-Manage-It-Dont-Be-Managed-by-It.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=34a03be9-94bc-418b-8495-a7224e0209f0Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:33:00 -0500Budgeting and BillsWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=34a03be9-94bc-418b-8495-a7224e0209f00http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=34a03be9-94bc-418b-8495-a7224e0209f0http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/10/04/Money-in-your-30s-Manage-It-Dont-Be-Managed-by-It.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=34a03be9-94bc-418b-8495-a7224e0209f0How to Stay Cool when Temperatures are Hot<p><img style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; border: 1px solid black;" src=" http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/SiteAssets/image/blog/2012/07/Thermometer2.jpg" alt="Average Baltimore Temperatures" />Summer is officially upon us, and with it comes the heat and humidity we know all too well here in Baltimore.<span>&nbsp; </span>Staying cool when the temperatures are hot can be a costly proposition, but there are a few tips we&rsquo;d like to share so you don&rsquo;t have to break the bank.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><strong>The basics...</strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>
<p><strong>&ordm;&nbsp;Blow hot air:</strong> By having a fan simply move the air around the house, you&rsquo;ll actually feel cooler.<span>&nbsp; </span>Running ceiling fans counter-clockwise, especially in elevated levels in the house, creates an upward draft, bringing the cool air up to help better circulate the efforts of your air conditioner.<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span><span style="font: 7pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span></span></span><strong>&nbsp;</strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span><span style="font: 7pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong>&ordm;</strong><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span><span style="font: 7pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> </span></span></span><strong>78&deg; Rule:</strong> We&rsquo;ve all heard it before - 78&deg; is the magic number.<span>&nbsp; </span>By keeping your thermostat set at 78&deg;, your home will be comfortable and you won&rsquo;t overwork your air conditioning unit.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span><span style="font: 7pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span></span></span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><strong>&ordm; </strong><strong>Close blinds:</strong> By keeping the sunlight out, the rooms won&rsquo;t heat as quickly and the temperature will remain more stable.<span>&nbsp; </span></p>
<p><strong>&ordm;</strong><strong> Don&rsquo;t cool unused space: </strong>While this may seem intuitive, if you have unused space, there&rsquo;s no need to keep it at 78&deg;.<span>&nbsp; </span>Close the air ducts in unused rooms and gain efficiency and comfort in rooms you do use.<span>&nbsp; </span></p>
<p><strong>&ordm;</strong><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span><span style="font: 7pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span></span></span><strong> Plant trees:</strong> Planting trees to help block the summer sun will not only keep the sunlight from coming in through the windows, it will also keep the exterior of your house cool, which means heat won&rsquo;t penetrate through the walls.<span>&nbsp; </span>As an added bonus, when autumn comes around, the leaves will fall which will allow the sun to once again brighten your day and heat the house during the winter.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>The mechanics...</strong></h2>
<p><strong>&ordm; </strong><strong>Air filter: </strong>Perhaps the simplest and most inexpensive tip is to replace your air filter every three months.<span>&nbsp; </span>Allowing air to flow freely will reduce the energy required to run your air conditioning system.<span>&nbsp; </span>On top of that, the air you&rsquo;ll breath will be clean, crisp, and refreshing.</p>
<p><strong>&ordm; </strong><strong>HVAC service: </strong>You should have your air conditioning system maintenance performed annually.<span>&nbsp; </span>By sealing leaks, cleaning ducts, and checking refrigerant levels you can see significant improvements in efficiency and reduction in cost.<span> </span></p>
<p><strong>&ordm; </strong><strong>Programmable thermostat: </strong>While the 78&deg; rule still applies, if you&rsquo;re not home during the day or if you can stand it a bit warmer at night, using a programmable thermostat can really impact the bottom line.<span>&nbsp; </span></p>
<p><strong>&ordm; </strong><strong>Consistency: </strong>While programmable thermostats are good because they create only slight variations in the temperature difference, turning the air conditioning on and off repetitively is not.<span>&nbsp; </span>When your system is on, you&rsquo;re not only cooling the air, you&rsquo;re cooling the walls, ceilings, floors and everything in-between.<span>&nbsp; </span>It takes a long time to cool all things solid but once they&rsquo;re cool, they help keep the air cool too.<span>&nbsp; </span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><strong>The replacement&hellip;</strong></h2>
<p>If you&rsquo;ve reached the point of diminishing returns with regards to your air conditioning unit, it might make sense to upgrade.<span>&nbsp; </span>By installing an Energy Star system, you may qualify for <a title="Energy Star" href="http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index" target="_blank">Energy Star tax credits</a>, and you&rsquo;ll most certainly decrease the cost to cool your home during the summer.<span>&nbsp; </span>If your system breaks unexpectedly or you need help financing this upgrade, consider using the equity in your home by obtaining a <a title="Home Equity Loans and Lines" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/personal/loans/home-equity-loans-and-lines/?utm_source=Stay%2BCool%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Stay%2BCool%2BWhen%2BTemperatures%2Bare%2BHot" target="_blank">home equity loan or line of credit</a>.<span>&nbsp; </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For more energy saving tips, see <a title="Spring Forward with These 5 Energy Saving Tips" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/03/09/spring-forward-with-these-5-energy-saving-tips/?utm_source=Stay%2BCool%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Stay%2BCool%2BWhen%2BTemperatures%2Bare%2BHot" target="_blank">Spring Forward with These 5 Energy Saving Tips</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you&rsquo;ve decided to beat the heat by getting out of town, be sure read <a title="Traveling Tips: keep the costs low and the fun level high" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/05/21/Traveling-Tips-keep-the-costs-low-and-the-fun-level-high/?utm_source=Stay%2BCool%2BPost&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Stay%2BCool%2BWhen%2BTemperatures%2Bare%2BHot" target="_blank">Traveling Tips: keep the costs low and the fun level high</a>.</p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/07/16/How-to-Stay-Cool-when-Temperatures-are-Hot.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/07/16/How-to-Stay-Cool-when-Temperatures-are-Hot.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=6b0c85cf-a953-4eba-8d2c-9e3b2315c01aMon, 16 Jul 2012 12:03:00 -0500Ways to SaveWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=6b0c85cf-a953-4eba-8d2c-9e3b2315c01a2http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=6b0c85cf-a953-4eba-8d2c-9e3b2315c01ahttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/07/16/How-to-Stay-Cool-when-Temperatures-are-Hot.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=6b0c85cf-a953-4eba-8d2c-9e3b2315c01aDo Your Part to Help Save a Tree<p>If you happened to see a greater-than-usual number of people out planting trees this morning as you were driving to work, and you&rsquo;re wondering why, we&rsquo;re here to solve your mystery&hellip;today is National Arbor Day.</p>
<p>Whether you plan to plant a tree in honor of Arbor Day or not, we thought it might be useful to remind you of some easy ways you can help save trees and reduce the amount of paper clutter in all of our lives.</p>
<p><strong>Here a few simple things you can do to save a tree:</strong></p>
<h2>Use Online Banking</h2>
<p><a title="Online Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/Personal/Online-Banking/" target="_blank">Online banking</a> is a great paperless solution to managing your bank accounts &ndash; all you need is a computer with internet access (such the one you&rsquo;re using right now to read this article).</p>
<h2>Pay Bills Using Electronic Bill Payments</h2>
<p>Once enrolled in online banking, you can initiate payments using the bill payment service.&nbsp; Using an electronic bill payment service is simple, and it reduces your need to order checks, not to mention the envelopes and stamps you save.</p>
<h2>Transfer Money between Banks Using External Account Transfers</h2>
<p>Using external account transfers, also known as account to account transfers, you can move money electronically between accounts at various financial institutions.</p>
<h2>Sign Up for eStatements</h2>
<p>eStatements are delivered electronically to your online banking mailbox.&nbsp; Not only do eStatements save trees, they also save you the time and trouble of filing your paper statements.&nbsp; With eStatements, 18 months of statements are automatically saved electronically for retention purposes, so you don&rsquo;t have to worry about keeping track of all your old statements.<a href="http://blog.1stmarinerbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/MobileBanking_Phones.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2243" title="Mobile Banking Phones" src="http://blog.1stmarinerbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/MobileBanking_Phones.jpg" alt="Mobile Banking Phones" width="120" height="146" /></a></p>
<h2>Use Mobile Banking</h2>
<p>With <a title="Mobile Banking" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/MobileBanking/" target="_blank">Mobile Banking</a> you can see your account balances and transfer money between accounts on the go.&nbsp; There&rsquo;s no need to haul around a laptop, simply use your internet enabled phone to quickly access your bank.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>In honor of the great White Oak (The official Maryland State Tree&hellip;but you knew that, right?), be sure to take advantage of ways to manage your finances without using unnecessary paper.</p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/04/27/Do-Your-Part-to-Help-Save-a-Tree.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/04/27/Do-Your-Part-to-Help-Save-a-Tree.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=80e5e3d0-84f8-463c-a6a5-7c6b8e9441d6Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:10:00 -0500Online/Mobile BankingWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=80e5e3d0-84f8-463c-a6a5-7c6b8e9441d60http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=80e5e3d0-84f8-463c-a6a5-7c6b8e9441d6http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/04/27/Do-Your-Part-to-Help-Save-a-Tree.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=80e5e3d0-84f8-463c-a6a5-7c6b8e9441d6Ten Ways to Ease Your Pain at the Pump<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.1stmarinerbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Gas-prices-graph1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2001" title="Average Price per Gallon of Gas on the East Coast" src="http://blog.1stmarinerbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Gas-prices-graph1.jpg" alt="Average Price per Gallon of Gas on the East Coast" width="380" height="309" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Gas prices are on the rise yet again, though you probably don&rsquo;t need us to tell you that&nbsp;because you probably already felt the pain the last time you were at the pump.&nbsp; Since there doesn&rsquo;t seem to be any end in sight and buying a new electric car might not be in the picture, we thought we would share some tips to help you conserve gas&nbsp;and save a little extra money.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong>&diams; Plan trips. </strong></span>&nbsp;It might seem simple,&nbsp;but by combining errands you can save wasted trips.&nbsp; Similarly, traveling at less congested times will help limit the amount of gas wasted while sitting in traffic.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Don&rsquo;t speed.</strong>&nbsp;</span> While this is probably a good overall tip, traveling in excess of 55 miles per hour&nbsp;significantly increases&nbsp;the average&nbsp;car&rsquo;s gas consumption.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Don&rsquo;t accelerate too quickly.&nbsp; </strong></span>Agreed, it&rsquo;s fun to be the fastest car off the line when the light turns green, but the&nbsp;quicker you accelerate, the&nbsp;quicker your car consumes gas.&nbsp; Not to mention this might also be dangerous behavior&nbsp;which the police tend to frown upon.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Use cruise control.&nbsp; </strong></span>Just like accelerating too quickly uses gas at a quicker rate, so does accelerating frequently.&nbsp; If you can keep a constant speed, you&rsquo;ll use less gas once the car is in motion.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Remove excess weight. </strong></span>&nbsp;It&rsquo;s estimated that an additional 100 pounds decreases your fuel efficiency by 2%.&nbsp; So, if you can&rsquo;t ditch your passengers, at least be sure you don&rsquo;t have excess baggage that you&rsquo;re toting around.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Have proper tire pressure.&nbsp; </strong></span>Underinflated tires cause your car to burn more gas.&nbsp; Be sure your tires are inflated to the recommended pressure.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Change your oil.&nbsp; </strong></span>A well-oiled machine will run efficiently - it really is that simple.&nbsp; Be sure all general maintenance on your car is up to date.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Wait to refill.&nbsp; </strong></span>It may seem counterintuitive as prices keep going up, but gas is heavy, and the extra weight decreases your fuel efficiency &ndash; see number 5.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Close your windows.</strong></span>&nbsp; There&rsquo;s no better way to enjoy a beautiful spring day than to have your windows down and music up but the truth of it is that open windows makes it more difficult to propel you car forward, thereby requiring more fuel.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #234a65;"><strong><strong>&diams; </strong>Buy gas when it's cool outside.&nbsp; </strong></span>Gas is sold by volume, which is why we pay per gallon.&nbsp; Gas, however, is most dense when it is cooler, and denser gas will get you a higher combustion rate which means more bang for your buck (pun intended).&nbsp; For more information on this tip, consult a scientist, but for those looking for a simple gas tip, just go with it and buy gas in the morning or once the sun has set.</p>
<p>So the next time you find yourself doing 70 miles per hour down the highway with your windows down and golf clubs that you haven&rsquo;t used for weeks in the trunk, remind yourself of these simple ways to make a gallon of gas last a little bit longer.</p>
<h5>If you found this article helpful, be sure to check out these related articles:</h5>
<p><a title="Spring Forward with These 5 Energy Saving Tips" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/03/09/spring-forward-with-these-5-energy-saving-tips.aspx" target="_blank">Spring Forward With These 5 Energy Saving Tips</a></p>
<p><a title="How to Stay Cool When Temperatures are Hot" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/07/16/How-to-Stay-Cool-when-Temperatures-are-Hot.aspx" target="_blank">How to Stay Cool When Temperatures are Hot</a></p>
<p><a title="Traveling Tips: keep the costs low and the fun level high" href="http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/05/21/Traveling-Tips-keep-the-costs-low-and-the-fun-level-high.aspx" target="_blank">Traveling Tips: keep the costs low and the fun level high</a></p>http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/03/30/Ten-Ways-to-Ease-Your-Pain-at-the-Pump.aspx
http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/03/30/Ten-Ways-to-Ease-Your-Pain-at-the-Pump.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=6d8a4d6c-d4e2-447f-b37c-b38ee238c85eFri, 30 Mar 2012 12:15:00 -0500Ways to SaveWade Barneshttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/pingback.axdhttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post.aspx?id=6d8a4d6c-d4e2-447f-b37c-b38ee238c85e1http://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/trackback.axd?id=6d8a4d6c-d4e2-447f-b37c-b38ee238c85ehttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/post/2012/03/30/Ten-Ways-to-Ease-Your-Pain-at-the-Pump.aspx#commenthttp://www.1stmarinerbank.com/blog/syndication.axd?post=6d8a4d6c-d4e2-447f-b37c-b38ee238c85e